Snowflake eel threw up

[ASH]

I just changed his diet from krill to silverside because he is getting bigger and going through krill too quick....gave him his first silverside the night before last and loved them....he ate 3 that night. Then last night didn't eat anything. Tonight he looked interested in the food but as he was about to grab the fish he threw up. The stuff he threw up looked mostly digested couldn't make out a fish or anything. Then moments later i tried to fed him and he ate. He doesn't look sick but what would cause him to throw up.

 

[Eric]

You are seriously overfeeding that poor animal, unfortunately some fish in captivity don't know when they should stop eating and will literally eat till themselves to death.

you should also switch up the diet try some pieces of squid, clams, and shrimp.

 

[ASH]

So how much should he eat and how often. He's about a foot long.

 

[Eric]

1 silverside or like meal once a day or once every other day.

Feeding heavy like that will eventually cause you problems with water quality as well.

 

[ASH]

ok.....yea didn't know. He would eat like 4-6 pieces of shrimp before i changed his diet and two nights ago he ate 3 silversides...wow. I've always fed until he quit eating. But that will change now...Thanks eric.

Nice to be back on RS it's been a while.

 

[BigAl07]

Ash we need to see some pictures

If you want to feed every day feed it smaller portions. Like any other fish they don't know when their next meal is coming so they'll eat just about any time you offer it to them just in case.

One way I try to decide just how "often" to feed is by their activity level and intensity. The more often and more energetic an animal swims, moves etc the more energy they expand and need to be fed. SFEs don't much a lot and when they do it's normal more of a saunter than high-speed high energy type of movement. Since they aren't expending great deals of energy they don't require a great deal (in proportion to body size) of intake.

As Eric pointed out over-feeding can cause water parameter issues. They are messy eaters and "the more IN the more OUT" which means waste that the tank has to break-down.

It's common for us to over-feed because we all want out wet friends to be as happy and healthy as possible. I think your SFE will be just fine on a lot less food but may "act" starved to death every time you approach the tank. Just make sure it acts healthy and you don't see any type of body mass loss (unless it's slightly "stocky looking" now). Also as Eric pointed out Variety is important. Switch it up and provide a varied diet to help ensure you're meeting ALL of their nutritional needs.

We REALLY need pictures girl!!

 

[ASH]

Thanks Al....I will post some pics late tonight when i get off work...right now im headed to the beach!!!

 

[redsea reefer]

Take it easy on the Vodka dosing...Haha

 

[BigAl07]

Take it easy on the Vodka dosing...Haha

:LOL:


She's lucky... she LIVES at the beach *insert jealous smiley here*

I miss PC!!! dang nabbit!!

 

[marineman]

Hi Ash,

I have had a Zebra Eel for a little over ten years and I have never feed it every single day. I space the feedings out every 2-3 days. When I feed him, 80% of the time it is live cray fish and he goes nuts over it, the other 20% its raw uncooked shrimp. I used to own a seafood restaurant and bring home fresh scallops, lobster, clams and nothing. Find what your eel likes and feed it in moderation. I know some will say that crayfish is freshwater, but it has been over 10 years, he looks great and is healthy as ever. Good luck and try feeding it every other day to start off.

 

[BigAl07]

I know some will say that crayfish is freshwater, but it has been over 10 years, he looks great and is healthy as ever. Good luck and try feeding it every other day to start off.

That in itself says a lot for your husbandry skills and care for the animal. KUDOS to you

 

[marineman]

Thanks Al

 

[ASH]

Alright I'll try mixing up his diet some. He seemed to like the silversides and went a lil crazy when he was getting something other than shrimp.

I also bought a seabae anemone (i guess that's how you spell it) like two days ago and I can't seem to get him to attach anywhere. I've tried up high but my flow is too fast it blows him away. So right now I've got him between the glass and a rock on the sand. That's where he has looked the best. But he looks not so good during the day and at night or first thing in the morning when the lights come on he looks really good. Any ideas on how to make him happy and stick somewhere?

 

[BigAl07]

Ash you can't "stick" him anywhere. They're like a cat.. they are happy ONLY when they pick the time and place to be happy. Just let it be as it's mobile and will most likely move to where it's most happy (flow, light etc...) the more you move/adjust the more stress you add to it's life. Just let it be and hope for the best

 

[saltwatermonstr]

take it out of the sand or else it will die

 

[saltwatermonstr]

:bmcflme: take it out of the sand or else it will die

 

[Adalius]

ASH - You could, if he continues to move around, try turning off your pumps for an hour or two while he's moving around. Sometimes they just need to be able to stop fighting the flow for a little bit to get a good solid foothold, then when you turn it back on, if he's in a good spot it'll stay regardless of the flow, if the flow is too much they'll let loose and try somewhere else yet again.

take it out of the sand or else it will die

Not sure where you get this info from, I've had 2 Sebae's that, although they moved around, would spend months on the sandbed and did just fine. If they move themselves there and are comfortable they'll stay, if they get irritated by it they'll move, so simply being on sand is very unlikely to be a cause of death.

 

[Frankie]

I just changed his diet from krill to silverside because he is getting bigger and going through krill too quick....gave him his first silverside the night before last and loved them....he ate 3 that night. Then last night didn't eat anything. Tonight he looked interested in the food but as he was about to grab the fish he threw up. The stuff he threw up looked mostly digested couldn't make out a fish or anything. Then moments later i tried to fed him and he ate. He doesn't look sick but what would cause him to throw up.

Hello Ash, good to see you
Back to the eel, your changing its diet to a more solid food. feed 3x weekly for 3 weeks and then every other day 2 fish. Silversides are small to a foot long eel but the meat is more compared to krill. It will need time to adjust to the new diet. If you see any signs of not eating with the above suggestions PM me.